Clements/Parsons students learn about composting and recycling

Special to Leader-Press

Young Miss Five Hills Allyssa Kimball is on a mission to teach children the importance of conserving resources and taking care of the environment. The beauty queen and All-American cheerleader may seem prim and proper, but she has no problem getting her hands dirty when it comes to taking care of Mother Earth.
The Copperas Cove Junior High cheerleading captain partnered with the Clements/Parsons Elementary Kids/Care club to talk to the students about Earth Day, recycling and composting and completing a project out of recycled materials that also doubled as a planter for them to take home.
Kimball took recycled water bottles, cut, and covered the sharp edges with tape to make planters she brought with her to the kids care club meeting Monday. She taught the students the importance of plants and why they help the environment. The students then were able to scoop soil into their planters and plant seeds to take home and grow flowers. 
CPE Kids Care Club member Madison Butcher, 7, wants to use what she learned to impact her community.
 “I learned how to keep the world clean by recycling and taking a bag to parks to clean up trash,” the 1st grader said. “I liked planting the flowers and I would like to do it again.”
Kimball shared with the students about why it is important to recycle, compost, and pick up trash in the community.
“I enjoyed speaking and helping the students learn more about taking care of their community and environment,” the eighth grader said. “The kids were very excited about the projects they got to take home and to learn that they can help keep our city clean and beautiful.” 
Kimball’s platform of service during her year-long reign as Young Miss Five Hills is Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful. She will undertake a variety of beautification initiatives in the community over the next 12 months working in conjunction with KCCB.